Fastener forming machines with means for preventing actuation of the feed length changing device during operation of the former



. BAGSHAW 2,780,051

ING

Feb. 5, 1957 c. M

FASTENER FORMING MACHINES WITH MEANS FOR PREVENT ACTUATION OF THE FEEDLENGTH CHANGING DEVICE DURING OPERATION OF THE FORMER 5 Sheets-Sheet .1

Filed March 26, 1954 O 14 if/T L O Inventor 67 60 Charles M Bags/20w Z25 1 Feb. 5, 1957 C. FASTENER FORMING MACHINES WITH MEANS FOR PREVENTINM. BAGSHAW 2 780,051

ACTUATION OF THE FEED LENGTH CHANGING DEVICE DURING OPERATION OF THEFORMER Filed March 26, 1954 Feb. 5, 1957 c. M. BAGSHAW 2,730,051

FASTENEIR FORMING MACHINES WITH MEANS FOR PREVENTING ACTUATION OF THEFEED LENGTH CHANGING DEVICE DURING OPERATION OF THE FORMER 3Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 26, 1954 Fig 5 124 118 M he 116 InventorCharles M Bags/mu) i. 1

inserting devices.

United States Patent FASTENER FORMING MACHINES WITH MEANES EQRPREVENTING ACTUATIGN OF THE FREE) LENGTH CHANGING DEVIQIE DURING Ol'ERA-TION OF THE FORMER Charles Martin Bagshaw, Leicester, Engiand, assignorto United Shoe Macliinery Corporation, Flemington, N. 3., a corporationof New Jersey Application March 26, 1954, Serial No. 418,962 Claimspriority, application Great Britain May 16, W53

7 Claims. (Cl. 59--75) This invention relates to fastener formingmachines, and more particularly to machines in which wire-likefasteners, such as staples, are formed from continuous material and thendriven into stock. While the invention is hereinillustrated as embodiedin a wire staple forming and inserting machine of the characterdisclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 1,016,930, grantedFebruary l3, 1912 upon an application of W. H. Borden, it will beappreciatedthat the invention is not thus limited in its application butmay advantageously be employed in other machines, especially those typeswherein pieces variable in length are to be severed from continuousmaterial prior to their insertion in stock.

When fasteners such as wire staples are to be inserted in work thatvaries in thickness, as is sometimes the case in sccuring shoe partstogether, for example, it is essential that different lengths of wire becut off according to the different thicknesses of the work pieceportions for which they are intended; The illustrative machine ineludesmechanism for positively feeding a variable length of wireintermittently, and means for severing each length ofwire thereafter tobe formed into a staple having legs of equal length, the legs thuscorresponding to the respective lengths of'Wire fed. As shown in thepatent above referred to, the illustrative machine is accordinglyprovided with wire feeding and severing means adjustable under thecontrol of an operator whereby, regardless of the length of wiresevered, the center of each piece cut oif' will restupon the inner diecomprising one of the staple forming dies, and hence staples having legsof suitable length will be produced and available to be effectivelydriven.

Machines of such construction have been well received andtheirperformance generally has been found highly reliable. In some instances,notably in operating around the toe of a shoe, an operator has desiredto change the length of wire fed while he continues manually to feed thework relatively to the operative staple forming and Treadle actuatedmeans have been provided on the machine, in addition to a hand lever,for eifectingchanges in the length of wire fed, and the operator hasthus been enabled to devote full attention to manipulation of the work.While no difiiculty occurs in ch'an'ging the lengths of staple legs ifthe machine is adjusted before it has started to feed a length of wireto be severed expe'rience has shown that, because of the rather high ope'ratin'g speed of the machine, the probability is that during theinterval of adjustment by either the manual or the treadle control onepiece severed is likely not to have its center in register with thecenter of the inner staple forming die. The result is that that piecehas an improper length and is formed into a staple having unequal legs;Such a malformed staple buckles when being inserted in the work andconsequently faulty clenching occurs;

Inview of'the foregoing, it is an object of this invention ice toprovide in a fastener forming machine of the type having means forfeeding intermittently from continuous material lengths to be severedtherefrom, and having means for changing the lengths fed to providedifferent severed lengths adapted to be formed as fasteners suited tothe stock into which they are to be inserted, control mechanismactuatable by an operator at any time whereby said length changing meansis rendered effective only when said feeding means is inoperative.

To the end just stated, and in accordance with a feature of theinvention, the illustrative machine, having means for intermittentlyfeeding a continuous wire and means for changing the lengths of Wire fedby said means and to be severed for forming into staples, is providedwith mechanism for operating said length-changing means including atreadle and a spring energizable thereby, actuating connectionsextending between said mech anism and the length changing means andoperable by said spring, and means whereby the latter is permitted tooperate said connections only when said Wire feeding means isinoperative.

The above and other features of the invention, together with novelcombinations of parts, will now be more particularly described inconnection with one embodiment and with reference to the accompanyingdrawings thereof, in Which Fig. l is a perspective view of the upperportion of an exemplary staple forming and inserting machine, portionsnot pertinent to the invention being broken away;

Pig. 2 is a front elevation of the upper portion of the machine partlyshown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an elevation, partly in section, and looking from the rear andtoward the front of the upper part of the machine, the wire feedingmeans with which the machine is provided being shown;

Fig. 4 is front elevation of the locking device with which the machineis provided, the device being shown in locked position as distinguishedfrom Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a right side elevation of the device shown in Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged section taken on the line Vl--Vl of Fig. 5.

Since in general the construction and operation of the illustrativemachine are fully set forth in the above cited patent, it will sufficeif only so much thereof as is helpful to a complete understanding of thepresent invention is described herein.

The machine comprises a column 10 (Figure 1) carrying at its upper end ahead 12 provided with a wire feeding roll 14 (Pig. 2) by which a wire 16is fed from a reel it; to a pair of cooperative knives 2c, 20 whichsever suitable lengths of wire for the formation of. staples. The wireis fed by means hereinafter briefly described over an inner stapleforming die 21 (Fig. 2) fastened on the front end of a rod 22 (Fig. 3),and after a suitable length of wire has been severed by the knives 2t 2tan outer die or former 25 is moved downwardly to bend the severed pieceof wire down over the inner die to form a staple. A main shaft 2 5 ofthe machine is provided with cam means for moving the inner die rear-Wardly after the staple has been formed so as to carry that die out ofalinenient with a driver (not shown) connected to the lower end of adriver bar 26 (Fig. 2 The latter is elevated together with the driver,after they have been depressed for fastener driving by a spring 28 (Fig.2), by means of a lug 3t} on a cam 32 on the front end of the shaft 2 5,the lug cooperating with a block 3! on the bar for this purpose.

forming staples of different lengths tie Wire cutting mechanismincluding the knives 2t), 2th is mounted on a carrier as (Figs. 2 and 3)(corresponding to the carrier 7% of thepatent referred to above) movablehorizontally toward and from the inner staple forming die, and forinsuring that both legs of any staple formed will be of the same length(provided length-changing is not executed during wire feeding), thedegree of movement of the wire feeding mechanism is governed by theposition of the carrier 36 relatively to the staple forming dies. Thusthe wire 16 will be fed for varying distances to cause the center of thesevered piece of wire to rest centrally upon the inner die. Accordingly,viewing Fig. 2, when the carrier 36 is moved to the right the severingmechanism will be brought nearer to the inner die and a shorter piece ofwire will be severed, the degree of movement of the wire feedingmechanism being simultaneously automatically decreased to feed lesswire.

The wire feeding means, as more fully described in said Borden patent,comprises an idler roll arranged for yielding engagement with the roll14 (Fig. 2) to hold the wire 16 in a groove in the latter, a shaft 42supported in the carrier 36 and on which the wheel 14 is mounted,

and means for operating that shaft including a lever 44 fulcrumed 011 astud 46 in the carrier 36 and having at its lower end a segment 48 (Fig.3) which meshes with a gear 50 fastened on the shaft 42. By means ofoperative connection between the upper end of the lever 4d and anactuating cam groove 52 in a cam block d mounted on the main shaft 24,the lever 44 is caused positively to rock the feed roll shaft 42forwardly and backwardly. Thus, the organization is such that, viewingFig. 3, the segment 48 will be moved through a greater are and the feedroll 14 will be actuated to feed the wire 16 through a greater distancewhen the carrier 36 has moved to the right. Alternatively, movement ofthe carrier 36 to the left results in a shorter length of wire being fedand severed. In order that the wire may be released during backwardfeeding movement of the roll 14 the idler roll is automaticallyseparated therefrom by suitable mechanism such as disclosed in thepatent referred to above.

The means herein shown for shifting the carrier 36,

and hence for changing the length of the wire intermittently fed and tobe severed comprises, as set forth in said patent, a link (Fig. 3)connected at one end to the carrier and having athxed to its other end aroller 62 arranged to cooperate with the cam groove of a con trollingplate 64 (Figs. 1, 2 and 3). The latter is rotatably mounted on a stud66 in a bracket 67 secured to the righthand side of the machine. Acontrol handle 68 connected to the plate provides a means for turning itand thereby causing its cam groove positively to impart the desiredshift in position of the carrier 36 relatively to the staple formingdies. By means of pairs of adjustably spaced stops such as those at 70,71 (Fig. 1) on the bracket 67 the movement of the controlling plate 64is limited so that the carrier 36 may, at an appropriate time in a cycleof the machine, be quickly moved to a proper position for producingstaples with legs of equal and predetermined length without the need ofcalculation on the part of he operator. Since as above indicated a shiftof the carrier 36 in that portion of a cycle during which a length ofwire to be severed is being fed will probably result .in the productionof one staple having unequal legs, mechanism now to be explained isprovided for easily enabling an operator to effect a change in thelengths of the staples being formed and driven without stopping themachine, removing the work therefrom, or running the risk of inserting amalformed fastener.

A. .treadie rod '72 (Figs. l and 4) depressible at any time in a cycleby means of a treadle (not shown) is provided to enable the operatorwhile continuing to support and feed the work with his hands to renderthe staple length-changing mechanism effective only in that portion ofthe machine cycle when no wire is being fed to the forming dies. As willbe explained the mechanism for operating the length-changing mean thuscomprises parts movable by the operator at will. and parts automatically4 controlled to cause the length-changing means to be actuated only whenthe wire feeding means is inoperative.

The rod '72 extends upwardly through a hole in a guide plate 73 securedto the head 12. A compression spring 74 on the rod 72 is confinedbetween a collar 76 thereon and the guide plate yieldingly to hold therod in its normally raised position when the treadle is not depressed.Pivoted on a fulcrum stud 78 carried by the head 12 is a bell cranklever 80 (Figs. 1, 4 and 5). The lower arm of the lever 30 has a ballconnection with the rearward end of a locking link 82 the forward end ofwhich is, pivotally connected to a pin 84 projecting upwardly from theplate 64. The upper arm of the lever 80 has a divided end bored to carrya horizontal trunnion pin 86 through which the rod 72 extendsvertically. For purposes hereinafter explained a compression spring 88on the upper portion of the rod 72 is confined between the pin and a nut90 (Fig. 1) threaded on the rod and thereby maintains a shoulder 92formed on the nod in contact with the under side of the pin 86.

The mechanism whereby the bell crank lever 80, and hence the staplelength-controlling plate 64 coupled thereto by the locking link 82, isprevented during wire feeding from effecting any alteration in thelength of the piece of wire fed and to be severed will next bedescribed, reference being had particularly to Figs. 4, 5 and 6. Securedon the main shaft 24 is a segmental cam 94 having a periphery arrangedto cooperate with a roll 96. The periphery of this cam 94 is of aconfiguration such that during that portion of the machine cycle inwhich the wire to be severed and formed into a staple is being fed theroll 96 will be displaced radially away from the shaft 24 to lock thewire length-changing mechanism. The roll 96 is rotatably supported by apin 98 journalled in a cam roll carrier 100. The latter is pivotallymounted on a cam lever 102 by a pin 104, and for a reason subsequentlyexplained a spring 106 seated in the roll carrier 1% abuts the lever 102to urge the carrier counterclockwise as seen in Fig, 4- to the extentpermitted by engagement of a face 108 on the carrier with a face 116 onthe lever 102. The lever 102 is mounted on a fulcrum pin 112 carried bya bracket 114 secured to the machine head 12, and adjustably secured bya bolt 116 to the lower end of the lever 102 is a block 118 having abeveled cam surface 120 arranged to cooperate with an angular camsurface 122 (Fig. 6) of a pawl 124 that is pivoted on a screw 126affixed in the bracket 114. A spring 128 seated in the lever 102 andabutting the head 12 urges the lever counterclockwise as seen in Fig. 4to urge the roll 96 into cooperative position with respect to the cam94, a stop 05 adjustable on the lever limiting its counterclockwisemovement by engagement with the head 12. Displacement of the roll 96 bythe cam 94 accordingly causes the block surface 120 to bear on the pawlsurface 122 and thereby pivots the pawl 124 counterclockwise as seen inFig. 5. As a consequence the pawl engages teeth 130 formed on a segmentplate 132 fixedly secured to the bell crank lever 80. The teeth 130 aredisposed concentrically with the axis of the stud 78. When the cam 94has not thus caused the segment plate 132 to be locked by the pawlagainst movement, the plate 132 is rotatable with the bell crank lever80 and slides in contact with a vertical face 134 formed on the machinehead 12. In the event the pawl 124 first engages the top of a tooth theroll carrier 100 is permitted by the spring 1% to yield slightly(clockwise as seen in Fig. 4) until the pawl properly measures betweensuccessive teeth 130.

In operating the machine an opera-tor will have turned the feedcontrolling plate 64 by means of the handle 68 to a position determinedby one of the stops 70, 71 to provide staples formed with legs of equaland appropriate length. Then, as the work is being fed and the fastenersare being inserted, should the operator desire to change the length ofthe staples being formed and yet thereafter maintain equality in thelength of the legs of the respec tive staples, he need only depress thenod 72 by means of its treadle. If at the moment of such depression nowire is being fed for severance and forming into a staple, thelength-changing mechanism i yieldingly but immediately operated throughthe spring 88 acting to shift the bell crank lever 80 counterclockwiseas viewed in Fig. 1 thus causing the link 82 to rotate the controllingplate 64 from a position determined by one of the stops 70, 71 to thepredetermined limiting position of the other stop. If wire were beingfed in that portion of the machine cycle when the operator depressed thetreadle rod cause the pawl 124 to engage with the teeth 130 and 72, thecam 94 would, during such portion of the cycle, thereby hold the bellcrank lever 80 against pivotal move ment. The treadle depressionconsequently merely loads the spring 38 in this interval of the cycleand, as soon as the feeding of the wire to be severed terminates, theloaded spring 88 acts through the bell crank lever 80 and the lockinglink 82 to operate the length-controlling mechanism by rotatablyshifting the plate 64 from one of its limit positions to the other.

Upon releasing the treadle to permit the machine again to form andinsert staples of the original length, the rod 72 is raised by theloaded spring 74. If at that instant it happens that wire to be severedand formed is being fed, the bell crank lever 80 and link 82 are againlocked by the mechanism above described, the spring 74 thereafter beingpermitted to effect return of the staple lengthcontrolling mechanism toits original position only when the wire feeding portion of a cycle hasended. It will be appreciated that the invention considerablyfacilitates an operators control in forming and inserting fasteners oflengths appropriate to the work and also assures that wire and work willnot be wasted by the production of malformed fasteners. r

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a fastener" forming machine having means for forming fasteners,the combination with means for intermittently feeding and severingv fromcontinuous material lengths to be formed by said forming means intofasteners, and means connected to the feed means for changingth-elengths, thus fed and severed to provide different length fasteners,of mechanism for operating said lengthchanging means and connectedthereto comprising parts movable by the operator at will and other partsautomatically controlled tocause said length-changing means to beoperated only when said feeding means-is inoperative.

2. In a fastener forming machine, the combination with cooperativeformers, power means for intermittently feeding and severing fromcontinuous material lengths to be formed by said formers into fasteners,a control member, and mean connected to said power means for variablydetermining the lengths of material fed and severed according to theposition of said control member, of mechanism operatively connected tosaid control member to shift it from one predetermined position toanother, and means connecting said power means with said mechanism torender the latter ineffective to shift said control member duringfeeding movement of a length of material to be severed. i

3. In a machine for forming wire fasteners, a pair of cooperativeformers, power means for intermittently feeding continuous wire to saidformers, means for changing the length of different pieces of the wirethus fed and to be severed for formation into fasteners, mechanism forlocking said length-changing means against operation during a portion ofeach cycle of operations of said power means, means including a springconnected to the length changing means for operating the latter when itis unlocked, and manually operable mechanism operative at any time in acycle for energizing said spring to change the lengths of the wirepieces to be formed.

4. In a staple forming machine having cooperative formers and means forintermittently feeding continuous wire to be severed for the formationof staples by said formers, a control member connected to the wirefeeding means and normally movable to predetermined positions to changethe length of the wire fed and thus determine the length of the legs ofthe staples to beformed, means for locking said control member againstmovement when said wire feeding means is operative, and treadle operatedmeans for shifting said control member from one of its positions toanother when said locking means is inoperative.

5. In a staple forming machine having formers and means including apower shaft for intermittently feeding continuous wire to be severed forthe formation of staples by said formers, a control member connected tosaid wire feeding means and normally movable to predetermined positionsto change the length of the wire fed and thus determine the length ofthe legs of the staples to be formed, means for locking said controlmember against movement when said wire feeding means is operative,treadle operated means for shifting said control member from one of itspositions to another when said locking means is inoperative, and a camon said power shaft, said locking means being operatively connected tosaid cam.

6. In a staple forming machine a pair of cooperative formers, powermeans for feeding continuous wire to be severed for the formation ofstaples by said formers, a control member connected to said wire feedingmeans and normally movable to predetermined positions to change thelength of the wire to be fed and thus determine the length of the legsof the staples to be formed, a member movable at, the. will of anoperator to load a spring for urging the shifting of said control memberfrom'one predetermined position to another, and connections between saidfeeding means and said control member for locking the lattcr againstmovement when wire to be severed is being fed, said spring beingeffective to shift said control member when the Wire to be severed isnot being fed.

7. In a. staple inserting machine having means for intermittentlyfeeding a continuous wire to a pair of staple formers, and meansnormally under the control of an operator and connected to said wirefeeding mean for changing the lengths of wire fed by said means and tobe severed and formed into staples, mechanism for actuating saidlength-changing means during non-operation of the wire feeding means,said mechanism including a manually movable member, a spring energizablethereby, and connections operable by said spring and extending from themember to said length-changing means, and mechanism automaticallyeffective during operation of said wire feeding means to lock saidactuating mechanism and render said length-changing means inoperative.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,016,930 Borden Feb. 13, 1912 1,520,715 r Iseman Dec. 30, 19242,321,380 Hacklander June 8, 1943

